September 26, 2019 Bisons men’s hockey hosts Lethbridge in home and season openers

With an updated Wayne Fleming
Arena as the stage, Manitoba Bisons men’s hockey drops the puck on a new season
this weekend against the Lethbridge Pronghorns. The games take place Saturday,
September 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m.

The Bisons open the 2019-20
season with a host of fresh faces, with a deep recruiting class joining the
team. There’s plenty of WHL experience in the first-years, with defencemen
Matthew Stanley, Liam Schioler, and Brady Pouteau having played over 100 games
combined in the ‘Dub. Pouteau, notably, earned the Regina Pats Rick Rypien Memorial
Award in 2017-18 — given to the team’s unsung hero — after helping Regina reach
the Memorial Cup final despite a nagging shoulder injury.

Behind that blue line are three
new goalies for the Herd, who are competing to replace venerable alumnus Byron
Spriggs. Tyler Brown and Riley Lamb both join Manitoba from the WHL — with
Brown returning after rehab forced redshirt status in 2018-19 — while Jeremy
Link played five years with the Winnipeg Blues in the MJHL.

Three fifth-years guide this
young core for the Bisons in 2019-20. Wearing the “C” is defenceman Adam Henry,
who was second on Manitoba and 8th among defencemen in 2018-19 with
16 points (six goals, two assists). Forward Jonah Wasylak will lead the
attacking side of the ice for the Bisons, while Sean Christensen also returns
to what should be a strong blue line for the Herd.

Lethbridge, who snagged the
sixth and final conference playoff spot last season with a record of 9-17-2,
return a strong winger in Medicine Hat native Torrin White in 2019-20 — certainly
one to watch this weekend. White tied for the Pronghorns lead in goals (9) and
was second in points (16) in 2018-19.

After this weekend, the Bisons
play their annual non-conference weekend against NCAA teams, playing UND on
October 5 and Omaha on October 7. Their regular season schedule resumes with
road games at Mount Royal on October 11 (8 p.m.) and October 12 (4 p.m.).

Eighth
in Coaches’ Poll: The Bisons have some bulletin board material based on
the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll, which ranked Manitoba eighth and
last in the conference. The Pronghorns received the same number of votes,
but had more in higher spots, giving them an edge to seventh.

Updated
Arena: Friday’s home opener is the first Bisons game in the
updated Wayne Fleming Arena, which includes a new concourse area, bar
seating, new glass and ice surface, and a jumbotron with video.